Lubricating system for internal-combustion engines



22, 1925. 1,554,350 R. K. JACK LUBRICATING SYSTEM FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION. ENGINES Filed Sept. 2. 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 auvmtoz 952 51'5 an? W.

Val/teas.- I n k Sept. 22, 1925.

Filed Sept. 2, 1921 '2 ShoothShaet 2 avwmtov JZaiat yaci Patented Sept. 22, 1925.

ROBERT 1:. seen, or LANSING, MICHIGAN,

TION, or nn'rnorr, MICHIGAN,

ASSIGNOB TO GENERAL MOTORS consona- A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

LUBBIOATING SYSTEM FOR INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINES..

Application filed September tain new and useful Improvements in Lubrieating Systems for Internal-Combustion Engines, of which the following is a full, clear, concise, and exact description, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which the invention relates to make and use the same, reference being made therein to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification.

The invention relates to oiling systems for internal combustion engines and has for its principal object the provision of means whereby the distribution of lubricant to the bearings and other interengaging surfaces of the engine may be effectively maintained while the engine is in operation.

In the accompanying drawings illustrating one embodiment of the invention as applied to an eight-cylinder V-type engine.

Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal section through an engine crank case; on line 11 of Figure 2.

Figure 2 is a section on line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure of the crank case sectioned in 3-'3 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a view of the crank shaft taken part on. line on line 4-4, Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a plan view of a portion of the crank casing showing a chamber for the distributor and pump driving gears.

Figure 6 is a detail view on line 66 of Figure 2 showing a form of relief valve mechanism.

Figure 7 is a view showing in end and side elevation a connecting rod bushing, and

Figure 8 is a bottom plan view of a bracket for supporting the distributor and its driving shaft.

5 Referring tothe drawings, 10 indicates an engine crank caseof a character suitable for use in connectionwith I-type, eightcylinder motor vehicle engines, two blocks of cylinders bein indicated at 11, 11, Figure 3. The era case asillustrated comprises a bell housing 12 atwhat may be designated as the rear end,"in accordance with the position in which such engines are usually mounted in motor vehicles. An oil 3 is an elevation of the front end chamber 27, (see ber 41.

2, 1921. Serial No. 497,856.

pan .13 is secured to the bottom of the crank casing and a front cover 14 to the forward end. The crank shaft 15 is mounted in main front and rear" bearin s 16, 17, suitably formed in the webs of the crank case, a flywheel 18 being secured to the shaft at the rear end and enclosed within the bell housing 12. The cam shaft 19 mounted in bearings 20, 21, 22, is driven from the crank shaft by timing gears 23, 24.

In the front cover 14 may be mounted a transverse shaft 25 driven by suitable gearing from the crank shaft and adapted to I actuate pumps or the like. A fan 26 mount- Shaft 28 engages at its upper end the shaft 35, while shaft 29 en- 34 of the distributor gages at its lower end with pump shaft 36.

driving shafts 29, 36, have a hole 37 in the bottom wall of Fig. 5) and the distributor shaft 28 has a bearing in a second hole 38 in the said walL- A third hole 39 through the wall serves to drain oil from the chamber into the crank case.

The distributor and pump driving shafts are journalled at their upper ends in bearings in the lower wall of a bracket 40 in which, above the bearings, is formed a cham- Holes 42 (Fig. 8) are formed through the bottom wall of this chamber to drain oil therefrom into the chamber 27, and a hole 43 extends into thechamber 41 through the bracket to feed oil thereto as hereinafter described,

A pump is provided to supply,oil under pressure to the lubricating system, which pump, as shown, comprises gears 44, 45, mounted within a casing 46, ear 44 being arranged to be driven by a s ort shaft 47 having detachable driving connection to shaft 36. The casing 46 is mounted removably in an aperture in the bottom of oil pan 13, beingseeured-by screws 47 so that The pump bearing in a headset the pump may be removed as a unit when it is desired to inspect or repair the same. Gil is supplied to the pump through a hole 48 from the oil pan and is discharged through a hole 49 leading through the pump casing and oil pan and into a pipe fitting 50.

The lubricant forced by the pump through the pipe fitting 50 is conveyed through pipe 51 which connects, through the wall of the bell housing 12, with the pipe 52 extending upwardly Within the housing to a point near the top of the crank casing. At this point it is connected to a main reservoir in the nature of a tube 53 formed in the crank casing adjacent to the top thereof-and centrally of the engine, where its Walls will be subject to the cooling influence of the fan. This conduit or main because of its position and size serves to some extent as a cooling chamber for the lubricant contained. therein. Furthermore, the position being above the level of the bearings of the engine is such that oil will feed therefrom to said bearings by gravity at times, when the pump is inoperative or ineffective to produce normal pressure. I

The main or reservoir 53 extends substantially throughout the length of the engine, and passages 54, 55, lead therefrom directly to the cam shaft'bearings 20, 21. Near the rear end a passage 56 permits flow of oil to the chamber 27 thus providing a bath of oil in which the distributor and pump driving gears run, dehvermg oil also through passage 43 to chamber 41, to lubricate the upper hearings in bracket 40. The oil bath also supplies oil to the cam shaft bearing 22. At the front end of main 53 is a pipe 57 attached to the front web of the crank-casing, as by the clip 58, in position to deliver a constant stream of oil to the timing gears 23, 24. Passages 59, 60, drilled in the front web of the crank case lead from the reservoir 53- near its front end to the front crank bearing 16. A small hole 61 near the rear end of the reservoir also provides communication, through passages 62, 63 drilled in the rear crank casing web, with the rear bearing 17, the purpose of which will be presently described.

The lubrication of the as well as of the pistons and piston pin bearings is accomplished by supplying oil through the crank shaft from the main bearings. For this purpose, the crank shaft is provided with radial holes 60, 60", adapted to communicate respectively with the passages 60, 63, and with a conduit extending throughout the length of the crank shaft between the two main bearings. This conduit comprises the passages 64, 65, positioned axially of the shaft bearings, passages 66, 67, drilled radially in the end cheeks, passages 68, 69, along the axes of the crank pin journals, and, pipes 71, 72,

,(Fig. 7). crank pin bearings than those in the planes of the intermediate cheeks. Pipe 71 connects the passages 68 and 69 while pipe 72 connects passages 69 andFO. Oil holes 73 are drilled radially in the crank pin journals to the passages 68, 69 and 70, respectively, to supply oil to the crank pin bearings. The excess of oil supplied to these bearings is thrown oil by centrifugal action and a portion of it is deposited on the pistons and cylinder walls, thereby serving to lubricate the bearings.

It will be noted that the oil feed holes 73 are located on the inside of the crank pin journals, i. e., on the side toward the axis of the shaft. I have found by experience that when these holes are placed upon the outside of the pins the oil is forced out by centrifugal force at such a rate that an excess of oil isthrown into the cylinder bores thereby causing waste of oil and fouling due to excessive carbon deposits. Furthermore, the oil fed to the bearing, being already at the point farthest removed from the axis of rotation, tends to flow directly to the edge of the bearing by reason of centrifugal force, and isnot properly distributed over the bearing area. By locating the oil holes on the inside of the journals the effect of centrifugal force in ejecting the oil is partially neutralized While still permitting the flow necessary to properly lubricate the crank pin bearings and to provide an oil mist thrown from the bearings suflicient to insure proper piston lubrication. The distribution over the bearing surfaces of the crank pin is also greatly improved since the effect of. centrifugal force is to spread the oil over the journal in its tendency to reach the point farthest from the axis. 7

The connecting rods, which, for corresponding pairs of cylinders are preferably in the same plane, may be arranged as shown in Figure 1, the forked rod 75 being mounted upon and secured to a bushing 76 engaging directly with the crank pin and the blade rod 77 having a bearing upon the bushing between the' flanges 78 thereof, Holes 79 are provided" in the and positioned at points other upon which the greatest pres sure is exerted in the operation of the engine thus avoiding the obstruction of the flow of oil to the blade rod bearing by reason of pressure between the rod and bearing.

The small passage 61 permits the flow of a small quantity of oil directly from the main 53 to the rear crank shaft bearing 17, thus insuring the proper lubrication of this pistons and piston pin bushing 76 hearing when the engine is being started. The small amount of oil flowing through this passage will find its way along the oil conduit or passages it meets the main body ofoil flowing norin the crank shaft until the opposite direction'with which; it will merge without in ter-ially. affecting,

' discharge con beyond the same distance This yalve the pressure of a spring was v.

the normal flow.

, The oil passa e 60 after lubrication will ow by-wayof passages the crank case through the relief valve 81. comprises, asshown in igs. 2 and 6, a. spring ball valve 82 opening against 83 adjustable by 84; The 011 escaping'through .a screw plug to the crank case through the 'valve returns the passage 85. A pressure gage of ordinary type, indicated at 86, may be connected to the system the last bearings to be lubricated, as by a pipe 87 communicating jwith passage 62.

Thepipes will be preferably so mounted thatthe'po'rtions of the oil con- 1 thereby will extend circumshaft and at substantially from the axis of the shaft as are the axes of the crankpins. By this means the passage of the oil conduit back and forth across' the' axis of the shaft is avoided and the interference of centrifugal force with the free flow of oil is eliminated.

duit provided ferentially of the Furthermore,,the pipes are preferably so ar-;

ranged that the normal direction of rotation of the shaft, indicated by arrows b, Figure and therefore 4, is opposite to the direction of oil in the pipes, indicated by arrows w, by which arrangement I have found that the flow of oil along the shaft is facilitated.

While I have described. herein the preferred embodiment of the invention it will be understgod that many variations may be .40

made in speclfic details without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention I do not wish to be limited to the'specific structure herein described except as required by appended'claims inview of the prior art. Iclain a i I 1. Ink'a lubricating system for an internal combustion engine having a crank case and blocks of cylinders mounted lation, a cam shaft and a crank shaft both located within said crank case, the combination of a lubricant reservoir in the upper" part of said crank case between saidblocks and formed in'the wall. of said crank case,

'rectly from .said reservoir means for supplying oil said reservoir, and means under pressure to' for feeding oil diof said cam shaft'and crank shaft.

2. In a lubricating'system for an internal combustion engine having a crank case and blocks of cylinders mounted thereon inV- relation, a cam shaft and a crank shaft both located within said crank case, and connecting' rods thereon suitably connected with said crankshaft and to pistons in escaping normally from theof'bearing 17 ea, 62, to the duit .80 whence it returns "to combustion engines flow of the language of the and thence through thereon in V re- I .to' the bearings the cylinders ofsaid blocks, thecombination a lubricant reservoir in the upper part of said crank, case between said blocks and formed. in the a Wall of said crank case,mea'ns for supplying'oil under pressure to said reservoir, an means for feeding oil directly from said reservoir to the bearings of said cam shaft and crankshaft and from the bearings of said* I crankshaft to the bearingsof said connectin'g rods. s

3. In a lubricating system. for internal combustion engines having crank shaft and cam shaft bearings, and distributor, pump and timing gears, a for supplying lubricant under pressure to said conduit, a chamber for pump gears, and means-for feeding lubricant from said conduit to .said chambei'yto the 5. In a lubricating system for .internalcombustion engines having a crank shaft and front and rear crank shaft bearings the combination of a reseryoir situated above the level of the engine bearings, means for supplying lubricant to saidsreservoir, a relief va ue, and-a conduit leading from said reservoir to the front crank shaft bearingttience earalong the shaft to the connecting rod thence to the rear crank shaft bearand thence to said relief valve, In a lubricating system for an combustion engine havinga crank case, a crank shaft and bearings therefor, cant conduit leading to one ofsaid bearings the crank shaft to another of said bearings, an outlet for said conduit to the crank case beyond the lastmentioned bearing, and pressure actuated means for controlling ing, v6.

and arranged to bead listed from the exterior of the crank case.

7 In a lubricating system "for internal combustion engines, the combination of a pump, a distributor, a chambelygears and shafts for driving said distributor and pump mounted in said chamber, means for driving said gears, and means for supplying lubricant to said gears and shafts.

lubricant conduit, means a lubricant conduit, 0

internal distributor and- 1 for internal I and through the crank a lubriflow of lubricant through said outlet, said means constructed.

8. In a lubricating system for internal combustion engines, the combination of a chamber formed in the crank case, a pump, a dlstributor, gears and shafts for drivingsaid thereof, a lubricant conduit formed Within distributor and pump mounted in said chamthe upper Wallof the crank case and extendber, means for drivlng said gears from the lug. longitudinally between the cylinder cam shaft, and means for. supplying lubriblocks, said conduit positioned to permit cantto form an 011 bath in sand chamber. 1 the an current from sald fan to pass (11- 9. In a lubricating system foran internal rectly over the outer wall thereof. combustion engine of the V-type having a In testimony whereof I afiix my signature. crank case and a fan for the cooling system ROBERT K. JACK. 

